A semi-truck can go as fast as most passenger cars, but truckers are required to abide by lower speed limits in certain locations. Trucks soon will be equipped with mandatory speed limiter devices that control top speeds.
What Are Semi-Truck Speed Limits?
In Indiana, most speed limits for commercial trucks match highway speed limits for other vehicles:
- 55 mph on urban interstates
- 65 mph on other limited-access highways
- 55 mph on other roads.
On rural interstates, which constitute the majority of the interstate highway system in Indiana, the speed limit for trucks is 65 mph, while passenger cars may go up to 70 mph legally.
What Is The Top Speed Of A Semi Truck?
Most large trucks can achieve speeds of 70 mph to 80 mph or higher. The problem with a truck moving at high speed is that if you have to stop an 80,000-pound big rig in a hurry, that is not going to happen.
Under ideal weather and roadway conditions, a fully-loaded commercial truck running at 65 miles per hour requires a stopping distance of about 525 feet – almost the length of two football fields. That compares to about 316 feet for a 4,000-pound passenger vehicle traveling 65 mph.
Because of the physics of weight, velocity, and braking, the distance required at 80 mph increases exponentially to more than 50% more than what is required at 60 mph.
The stopping distance of a semi-truck increases more if it is traveling in adverse road conditions such as snow, ice, or wet pavement.
FMCSA Plans Speed Limiters on Some Semi-Trucks
In June 2023, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is expected to unveil a proposal requiring most commercial motor vehicles to use speed limiters. The proposal would apply to commercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more – semis and other large trucks – and that are equipped with electronic engine control units (ECUs) capable of governing the vehicle’s maximum speed. They would be required to limit the truck to a speed to be determined by the FMCSA and to maintain that ECU setting for the service life of the vehicle.
While the top speeds allowable for trucks equipped with speed limiters have not been announced, proposals of 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour have been quoted in a leading trucking industry publication.
The FMCSA says it is moving forward with the speed-limiters mandate because of the number of crashes and fatalities among commercial trucks and buses traveling at high speeds. In 2019, there were 860 fatal crashes in areas with posted speed limits of 70 to 75 miles per hour, and 24 fatal crashes in areas with posted speed limits between 80 to 85 miles per hour. Approximately 20 percent of fatal crashes among commercial trucks and buses occur in areas with posted speed limits in these ranges, the FMCSA says. The agency says the rule will help reduce crashes and save lives.
Trucking industry leaders oppose the restrictions. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Foundation (OOIDA) says the frequency of interactions between trucks and other vehicles increases 227% when trucks travel 10 mph below the speed of other traffic. The OOIDA also says forcing truckers to lose time by limiting their speed in high-speed zones can encourage them to drive faster than they should through slower zones so that they can make their delivery deadlines.
Involved in a Truck Accident? We Can Help You
Speed is a contributing factor in many semi-truck accidents in Indiana. If you have been injured in a truck accident in Indiana, contact a truck accident lawyer at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC in Indianapolis for a free, no-obligation discussion of your legal options. You may be entitled to demand compensation for your medical costs and losses if you were injured by a driver who was speeding. Our dedicated team of lawyers, investigators, and forensic specialists are ready to protect your rights and pursue full compensation for you.
Phone (800) 746-0226 or reach out online.
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